News & Events

Contact Us:

Headlines (Campus Updates)

WLU

Laurier hosts provincial research funding announcement

Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing

Jan 21/14

Kitchener Centre MPP and Government Services Minister John Milloy visited Laurier’s Waterloo campus on Jan. 20 to announce that the Ontario government will be investing $190 million in the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) over the next six years.

Speaking at Laurier’s recently opened Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science, Milloy announced that the province will be re-opening the ORF’s Research Excellence Program with an investment of $65 million over six years. In addition, the Ontario government will be putting $125 million into the ORF’s Research Infrastructure Program.

“Research is the foundation of a knowledge economy — new findings lead to new technologies, companies and jobs,” said Milloy. “Across the province, researchers and companies are improving competitiveness, launching new ground-breaking products and services and changing lives.”

Joining Milloy at Monday’s announcement was Max Blouw, Laurier president and vice-chancellor; Jennifer Baltzer, Laurier associate professor and Canada research chair in forests and global change; Bruce Muirhead, University of Waterloo associate vice president of external research and Barbara Fennessy, Conestoga College executive dean for entrepreneurship and applied research.

“It is very clear that this is not a trivial sum for the government to be investing,” said Blouw. “I think what it underscores is the incredible importance of discovery, of research, of innovation to move our province forward and our economy forward. So John, thank you on behalf of all of us.”

Milloy said the ministry would be publishing information on how researchers can apply for these funds in the near future.